Paraíso (canton)

History

Paraíso was created on 7 December 1848 by decree 167.

Geography

Paraíso has an area of 476.99 km2 and a mean elevation of 1171 m.

Paraíso is an elongated canton that stretches southeast from its head city to encompass a swatch of the Cordillera de Talamanca (Talamanca Mountain Range).

Government

Mayor

According to Costa Rica's Municipal Code, mayors are elected every four years by the population of the canton. As of the latest municipal elections in 2024, the United We Can candidate, Michaell Álvarez Quirós, was elected mayor of the canton with 41.37% of the votes, with Merlyn Rojas Mora and Roger Ricardo Zúñiga Vega as first and second vice mayors, respectively.

Municipal Council

Like the mayor and vice mayors, members of the Municipal Council (called regidores) are elected every four years. Paraíso's Municipal Council has 7 seats for regidores and their substitutes, who can participate in meetings but not vote unless the owning regidor (regidor propietario) is absent. The current president of the Municipal Council is the Progressive Liberal Party member, Aldo Mata Coghi, with National Liberation Party member Silvia Elena Arce Araya as vice president. The Municipal Council's composition for the 2024–2028 period is as follows:

Districts

The canton of Paraíso is subdivided into the following districts:

1. Paraíso
2. Santiago
3. Orosi
4. Cachí
5. Llanos de Santa Lucía
6. Birrisito

Demographics

Paraíso had an estimated inhabitants in 2022, up from the people at the time of the 2011 census.

In 2022, Paraíso had a Human Development Index of 0.778, ranking it 4th highest in its province.

Transportation

Road transportation

The canton is covered by the following road routes:

• [[File:CR RNP 2.svg|25px]] National Route 2
• [[File:CR RNP 10.svg|25px]] National Route 10
• [[File:CR RNS 224.svg|25px]] National Route 224
• [[File:CR RNS 225.svg|25px]] National Route 225
• [[File:CR RNT 404.svg|25px]] National Route 404
• [[File:CR RNT 405.svg|25px]] National Route 405
• [[File:CR RNT 408.svg|25px]] National Route 408
• [[File:CR RNT 416.svg|25px]] National Route 416

Rail transportation

The Interurbano Line operated by Incofer goes through this canton.

Notes

References

References

1. (19 March 2019). "Declara oficial para efectos administrativos, la aprobación de la División Territorial Administrativa de la República N°41548-MGP".
2. (8 March 2017). "División Territorial Administrativa de la República de Costa Rica". Editorial Digital de la Imprenta Nacional.
3. (1985). "Costa Rica: evolución territorial y principales censos de población 1502 - 1984". Editorial Universidad Estatal a Distancia.
4. Instituto Geográfico Nacional de Costa Rica. (20 June 2024). "División Territorial Administrativa, 2024 – Totales de Provincias, Cantones y Distritos de Costa Rica".
5. Asamblea Legislativa de la República de Costa Rica. (13 May 2024). "Código Municipal".
6. Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones. (8 March 2024). "N.° 2157-E11-2024 - Declaratoria de elección de alcaldías y vicealcaldías de las municipalidades de los cantones de la provincia de Cartago, para el período comprendido entre el primero de mayo de dos mil veinticuatro y el treinta de abril de dos mil veintiocho.".
7. Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones. "Resoluciones declaratorias de elección".
8. "Concejo Municipal 2024-2028".
9. Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones. (12 March 2024). "N.° 2220-E11-2024 - Declaratoria de elección de regidurías de las municipalidades de los cantones de la provincia de Cartago, para el período comprendido entre el primero de mayo de dos mil veinticuatro y el treinta de abril de dos mil veintiocho.".
10. Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos. (July 2023). "Estimación de Población y Vivienda 2022 : Resultados Generales".
11. "Censo. 2011. Población total por zona y sexo, según provincia, cantón y distrito".
12. Sistema Nacional de Información y Registro Único de Beneficiarios del Estado. (9 June 2023). "Atlas de Desarrollo Humano Cantonal en Costa Rica, 2022".